INVESTIGATING INFORMATION USEFULNESS OF YOUTUBE AMONG SELECT UNIZIK STUDENTS

Abstract

The prevalence of YouTube has overwhelmingly expanded globally following its advent in 2005. Globally, opinions differ as to whether YouTube is a very useful information and knowledge source. The potentialities of YouTube offer a participatory, informational and knowledge-filled platform. Despite these potentials, research shows that YouTube in Nigeria does not yet enjoy much patronage. The study was aimed at determining the perceptions of Unizik students towards information usefulness of YouTube. It sought to find out among others the extent of YouTube use among the students and was anchored on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which posits that users will be willing to make use of a new technology if they find it useful and easy to use. The research design was survey and questionnaire served as the measuring instrument. Data were analysed using frequency tables and pie charts. The study found out that 75 percent of students use YouTube to a large extent amidst its challenges and that and that they had positive perceptions towards YouTube as a useful and significant source of information and knowledge. The researchers recommend that government should subsidize the cost of data for accessing the site since the respondents saw it as a major challenge. Also, more research is recommended to find more ways of combating other disclosed challenges such as unavailability of internet connectivity, poor patronage as content creators etc in YouTube use so as to avail students the opportunities of harnessing the potentials YouTube offers.